A lot of folks have asked me how I go about planning an LED installation. Where do I place the controller and power supply? How do I handle wiring runs? For this article, I'm going to cover my process for a new installation as I actually do it.
This article is a companion piece to my YouTube video where I cover the same basic information if you prefer to watch instead of reading.
I generally follow the same basic steps for every LED installation I complete. As an example, I will be covering an installation of ambient LED lighting underneath a new desk that I just finished building.
Goals and Planning
For any project, the first step I take is to figure out what my goals are for the project. This includes the intended purpose and whether I want the LEDs themselves to be visible or hidden. By visible, I mean that you can see the LED strips or lights directly (even if diffused). This is desirable for things like a wall display, an LED sign or somewhere that the LEDs are going to provide something like task lighting.
In other cases, you may not wish to see the LEDs directly, but just the ambient light reflecting off of nearby surfaces. This is common for projects like ambient light behind a TV or under cabinets.
In this last case of under-cabinet lighting, you should also determine if the LEDs are meant to provide task lighting... e.g. you want added light for the purpose of performing work via the LED lighting. This can impact the type of LEDs you select.
Finally, I determine what sort of control I want for these lights. Is just a mobile app or automation software adequate? Do I need or want voice control (Google Assistant/Amazon Alexa)? Or would I prefer to also have a physical button or IR remote to control the lights?
For my desk project, I only want ambient lighting. This means it won't be used to enhance light for the purpose of working at the desk... it will really be just ambient/decorative lighting. I want the LEDs and all the wiring to be hidden and not visible. Finally, I want an easily accessible push button for basic functions, such as turning the lights off/on and changing colors.
With these goals determined, I'm ready to move on to my next step.
Initial Layout and Measurements
Once I've defined my goals, I begin to look for installation locations to meet those goals. This includes not only the LED strips themselves, but the controller, power supply and any external controls, such as a button or IR receiver. Mains (A/C) power will also be needed nearby for the power supply. For my desk install, I will be using aluminum LED channel and I initially identified three possible installation options:
The first option was to mount the aluminum channel underneath the desktop overhang. I didn't like this option (based on my goals) for a couple of reasons. First, I would be clamping a number of mounts to the desk overhang, including monitor mounts, camera mounts, etc. and I didn't want the aluminum channel interfering with those clamps. Second, while the channel would be pretty well hidden, the wiring connecting the segments might be visible. I'd keep this option in mind, but continue exploring others.
The next option was to mount the channel along the bottom of the side pieces. But this would make the LED channel clearly visible, along with the same issue of the segment wiring being visible. This is probably the easiest installation location, but definitely does not meet the goal of keeping the install out of sight.
The third option was to mount the aluminum channel on the supports under the desktop. This would completely hide the channel and any segment wiring. The various segments would be shorter, due to the necessity to mount between the desk legs, but I really wanted the total LED to be less than around 250 anyway, so I wouldn't need to deal with power injection wiring runs. In addition, a lower number of pixels would also mean a smaller power supply, giving me the option of mounting both the controller and power supply on that side board directly under my arm in the above photo. And I could mount the pushbutton right on the lower front corner of the desk. However, this option would present some additional challenges.
The long front edge of the desk contains a drawer. I would have to cut this into segments and work the connecting wiring either across the bottom or drill a small hole in the vertical side of the drawer support to connect segments.
In addition, at the opposite end of the desk from where the strip would begin and right next to the drawer, a power grommet is installed. However, the cross supports for the drawer would provide a location for the LED channel clips.
For all three options, the same A/C power source would be available:
The desk would eventually have a power strip installed on the end of the desk where the LED strip would begin.
Given the above options and my goals, I decided on the last option for mounting the LED strips. While this will involve a little more work in terms of the number of segments and the wiring together of those segments, it best meets my goals of completely hiding the installation. And both the controller and power supply could be mounted right above the power strip, on the inside of that end board as shown in the above photo.
Determining Number (and type) of LEDs and Power Supply Size
With my layout location determined, it was time to take some measurements for the LED channel segment lengths and determine the approximate number of LED pixels that would be used. This is important early on, as it will determine the size and type of power supply needed.
But before counting pixels, you need to determine the type of LED strip needed. There are all sorts of varieties in terms of voltage (5V, 12V, 24V), density of pixels (30/m, 60/m, 144/m) and whether the pixels are just RGB or RGB+white (RBGW, RGBWW, RGBCW). Since my install would just be used for ambient/effect lighting and not for task lighting, I did not need true white light, so I would opt for just RGB LED strips. In addition, 60 pixels/m would provide enough ambient light and keep the pixel count low enough that power injection shouldn't be needed. Given those options, I chose my favorite... WS2812b pixels strips. These are 5V, which means that my controller and LEDs can be powered from the same 5V power supply.
With that determined, I needed to take some actual measurements for the LED channel segments and create a diagram for the install:
This diagram indicates the length of each aluminum channel segment. From those dimensions, the number of LED pixels for each segment can be estimated by using the following formula:
length in inches x 0.0254 m/in x 60 LEDs/m
example: 16" x 0.0254 x 60 = 24.384 (or 24 pixels)
And before you comment, yes, you could measure your segments in meters or centimeters and avoid the conversion. But us Americans just can't deal with measuring things in meters! Also, if using something other than an LED strip with 60 LEDs/m, that need to be updated in the calculation (e.g. substitute 30, 144, etc.).
Now, the actual pixel count in each segment might vary by one or two when cutting and installing the actual pixel strips in the channel, but for the purposes of calculating power needs, this initial estimate is adequate.
With my estimated number of pixels, I can now calculate the required power (amp) needs for my install using the following formula:
Number of Pixels x 0.060 A/pixel
The use of 0.06A/pixel is the maximum current for each pixel when on full bright white. While other colors and effects will use much less current, I like to calculate based on the maximum. For my install, I estimated 148 LED pixels, so:
174 pixels x 0.060A/pixel = 10.44 Amps
Add about a maximum of 0.500 amps for the controller (overkill) and a 5V 15A power supply should suffice nicely. And by keeping the number of pixels to under 200 means that I won't need power injection. It also lets me use what I call a 'brick style' power supply:
These are smaller and lighter than the "transformer style" power supplies that are needed for larger installs (higher amps) and will make mounting this in the planned location much easier. I could probably get by with a 10A power supply without issue, but I'd rather have additional power rather than risk running the power supply at its maximum rating for an extended period.
Parts Check and Ordering
Now that I have my requirements, I need to check to see what I have on hand and what I need to order. Here's a list of what I need for this particular project:
Controller parts:
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Part |
Notes |
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Wemos
D1 Mini (ESP8266) |
An ESP32 can be used,
but is overkill for this project |
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Optional, but I
always recommend |
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Other Parts:
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Part |
Notes |
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Miscellaneous wire (18-24 gauge) |
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Once I have all the necessary parts on hand, I'm ready to start the build and installation.
Preparing LED channel (or other mounting options)
The aluminum LED channel I use comes in either 1 meter or 5 meter lengths. Regardless, segments based on the diagram measurements need to be cut to size.
The aluminum channel is easily cut with a hacksaw. I like to use a cheap miter box just to assure I'm getting a square cut on the end. I also use a metal file to remove any burrs or sharp edges after cutting.
I also like to number each segment as I cut it, along with adding an arrow indicating the data signal direction for the LEDs. This just helps me from making a stupid mistake during the actual install!
I normally install 3M double-sided tape in the aluminum channels. The adhesive on the back of the LED strips is fairly weak and prone to fail over time, meaning the LED strip will come loose and start to sag or droop. By adding this strong double-sided tape and sticking the LED strips on this tape will help prevent that from occurring. I've never had an LED strip come loose when using this method.
Creating the controller
I used the standard WLED controller that I use for nearly all my LED projects.
I cover the complete build of the controller, step-by-step including installing the WLED firmware, in both another blog article and a YouTube video:
Blog Article: Building your own LED light strip controller
YouTube Video: Build your own LED controller for under $6 with WLED
So, I won't duplicate that information here. But in a nutshell, the controller consists of a Wemos D1 Mini (ESP8266) and a logic level shifter. From the above photo, the red and black wires on the left are the 5V and GND from the power supply. On the right, the green wire is the data signal that goes to the start of the LED strip. The blue and black wire are optional, but will connect to a normally-open push button for local control of the light strip. See the above links for more details.
Preparing LED strips
The next step is to cut the LED strips for each aluminum channel segment.
If you've not worked with LED strips before, I also have another blog article and YouTube video that are beginner guides to working with LED light strips:
Blog Article: RGB LED Strips - A Beginner's Guide
YouTube Video: Using WS2812b RGB Light Strips
When you actually cut the strips, you may find that you have one or two more/less pixels than the initial estimate. This is fine. Just note the actual number of pixels in each segment on your drawing, as you will need to know the actual number of pixels for setting up WLED. After cutting the strips, DO NOT install in the aluminum channel yet! First, JST connectors need to be soldered to the strips. These are the connectors that will connect one segment to the next. The above links also cover JST connectors and soldering onto the LED strips.
As a general rule, all the segments in the middle of the strip run will have a female JST connector soldered to the 'data in' side of the LED strip (as indicated by an arrow on the strip itself that shows the data direction) and a male JST connector attached to the 'data out' side.
Note that as seen in the above photo, I simply solder wire leads to the 'data in' side of the very first strip (top in photo) as this will connect to the power supply and the controller. I'll cut these to length during the actual install. The middle strip above is a 'normal' mid-segment, with a female JST connector on one end and a male JST connector on the other. The bottom strip is the final segment in the chain. It doesn't need a JST connector on the 'data out' side, since it is the end of the strip and will not connect to anything.
Once all the soldering is done, you can remove the backing from the double-sided tape and from the back of each LED strip and carefully mount each strip in the corresponding aluminum channel segment. Take care to align each strip in the center of the channel and assure that the ends of the strip do not overhang the aluminum channel.
At this point, I highly recommend a bench test before final installation.
Bench Testing
I always do a bench test, connecting everything together in a temporary manner to test all my connections before the final installation.
If you have any issues with soldered joints or other wiring, it's much better to find and resolve it before you mount all the components in their final location. Once you have successfully tested all wiring and components, it's time for the actual installation.
Installing the LEDs
Another nice touch with the aluminum LED channel is that in addition to a diffuser (which I am not using for this install), they come with mounting clips that make installation a snap.
The screws, as you can see, are very small and only make a small hole in any surface where you want to mount your LEDs. And the aluminum channel can easily be snapped in and out of these clips should you need to replace (or remove) the installation at a later date.
I installed the clips shortly after I finished building the desk, but before I installed the wiring trays. Trying to install the LED strips after the wiring trays were in place would have been difficult, if not impossible. By installing the clips first, all I had to do was snap the aluminum track in place after the build was complete.
This shows the LED channel snapped into place. This was done after the wiring racks and other wiring on the desk was complete.
This shows how the different LED segments are joined using the JST connectors. In some cases, I cut the JST connectors to make them shorter (before soldering) or added some extension wire so that the connections between segments were long enough not to stress the solder connections, but not so long that the JST wiring would hang down and be visible.
Mounting the controller, Power Supply (and optional controls/button(s))
Once all the aluminum track segments are mounted, the final step is to mount the controller and power supply... again, with a goal to keep them completely out of sight.
In my case, I used a 3D-printed enclosure with tabs so that I could simply screw the controller to the underside of the side desk panel... right below the first segment of LEDs (seen directly above the controller).
Note: If you don't have a 3D printer, you can use a small electronic box, a plastic soap dish container... or just about anything of appropriate size to hold the controller. You could use double-sided tape or something like a "U" bracket and zip ties to mount the controller.
I had originally planned on printing brackets for the power supply, but it fit nicely in the wiring tray just off to the right in the above photo. But again, you could use brackets, zip ties or even create a small shelf to hold the power supply and controller if desired.
I used Wago clips for my electrical connections. These are simply stuck to the inside of side panel with double-sided tape. The two Wago connections on the left are for 5V power (one run to the controller and the other to the LED strip... remember that the controller and ElecroCookie board are not rated for the amps needed to power the LEDs). The Wago clip on the left is for the data signal from the controller to the start of the LED strip (upper left corner in the photo). You can use wire nuts or even solder everything together if desired, but by using Wago clips and JST connectors, each part of the install is modular and can easily be removed and repaired or replaced if necessary.
And remember those optional blue and black wires coming out of the left side of the controller?
Those run to that normally-open pushbutton, mounted on the underside of the same side panel where the controller is mounted. This allows me to easily turn the LEDs off or on, or cycle through colors and effects just by pushing this button right next to my office chair.
Final Results
Here are just a few photos showing the final installation:
No wires are visible (unless you crawl on the floor!). A push button just to the right side of my chair allows local control. Of course, you have the full plethora of additional options and effects using the WLED interface, including presets and playlists.
Conclusions and More Info
While every LED installation is different... and may have different goals... this is the same procedure that I follow each time I start a project. In summary:
- Set Goals - what do you want to accomplish?
- Determine potential install locations for LEDs, controller and power supply
- Calculate number of pixels and power supply needed.
- Build the controller and LED strip(s)
- Bench Test
- Install and enjoy
While this article covers the process, a lot of information regarding building the controller, working with LED strips and other details are missing if you haven't completed a project like this before. But fear not! Here are some links to help fill in those missing parts.
YouTube Videos
You can also see the above, along with a few of my favorite LED projects in this YouTube playlist: LED and LED-Related Projects
Blog Articles (often with wiring diagrams and parts lists, missing from the video)
Other Links of Interest
QuinLED (By Quindor: lots of info, including power usage calculations)
Supporting the Blog and YouTube Channel
If you'd like to help support this blog and my corresponding YouTube channel for future projects, you can use any of my Amazon links at no cost to you, or you can say thanks and:
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